[lg policy] Sanskrit in Assam schools: BJP faces tribal groups’ ire over ‘saffronisation’ of education

[Harold Schiffman]

Sanskrit in Assam schools: BJP faces tribal groups’ ire over
‘saffronisation’ of education
A massive controversy has erupted in Assam after the ruling BJP government
in the state has made Sanskrit compulsory in government schools.
By: Maitreyee Boruah <http://www.oneindia.com/authors/maitreyee-boruah.html>
Published: Monday, March 6, 2017, 13:53 [IST]
Subscribe to Oneindia News

Guwahati, March 6: The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam
<http://www.oneindia.com/topic/assam> is facing opposition from various
tribal <http://www.oneindia.com/topic/tribal> groups after it has recently
decided to make Sanskrit <http://www.oneindia.com/topic/sanskrit>
compulsory in all government schools till class VIII. The recent decision
by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP
<http://www.oneindia.com/topic/bjp> government in the northeastern state is
seen by many as 'saffronisation of education' and a 'politically motivated'
stunt to destroy the secular fabric of Assam.

The Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabhas, Assam, on Sunday, threatened to start
a massive agitation if the BJP government in the state did not withdraw its
decision to make Sanskrit compulsory in schools.

*[image: Sarbananda Sonowal]The Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet decided to make
Sanskrit compulsory in all government schools till class VIII*
VIDEO : Assam's Govt move to make Sanskrit compulsory draws criticism :
Watch video
00:00 / 00:00
: Ad ends in...
01:28
Video will
play after ad
Powered by <http://www.ventunotech.com>

The ITSS is a literary body consisting of eight major indigenous
communities--Bodo, Mising, Karbi, Tiwa, Rabha, Deuri, Dimasa and Garo--from
Assam.
Popular Videos <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/>

   - [image: Inline image 2]00:01:28
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/assams-govt-move-to-make-sanskrit-compulsory-draws-criticism-watch-video-90026.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>
   Assam\'s Govt move to make Sanskrit compulsory draws criticism : Watch
   video
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/assams-govt-move-to-make-sanskrit-compulsory-draws-criticism-watch-video-90026.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>
   - [image: Inline image 1]00:01:32
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/up-elections-2017-pm-modi-and-amit-shah-are-terrorists-says-sp-77477.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>
   UP Elections 2017: PM Modi and Amit shah are terrorists, says SP
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/up-elections-2017-pm-modi-and-amit-shah-are-terrorists-says-sp-77477.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>
   - [image: Inline image 3]00:01:51
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/uttarakhand-2017-former-cm-pokhriyal-cast-vote-watch-video-72589.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>
   Uttarakhand 2017: Former CM Pokhriyal cast vote: Watch video
   <http://www.oneindia.com/videos/uttarakhand-2017-former-cm-pokhriyal-cast-vote-watch-video-72589.html?utm_source=articles&utm_medium=videowidget&utm_campaign=videopromotion>

The decision to make the subject compulsory in schools has been opposed
tooth and nail as the state has numerous ethnic and linguistic communities
having their own languages.

"We have been demanding the state government to follow a partial
four-language policy so that the students from various indigenous
communities get the opportunity to study their mother tongue. Instead of
implementing the four-language policy, the state government is going to
impose a dead language on the students. This is not acceptable. We will
launch a statewide mass agitation along with our sister organisations if
the government does not withdraw the decision," said Gobind Taid, president
of the forum.

"We suspect the decision was taken by the state government to deprive the
students of the indigenous communities from studying their own languages,"
said Bisweswar Basumatary, vice-president of Bodo Sahitya Sabha.

The forum accused the government of doing great disservice to the students
and parents by imposing Sanskrit on young children.

"By imposing Sanskrit on government schools, the state government is going
to discourage parents from sending children to government schools. Thus,
the state government is encouraging private schools," said Pradip Chandra
Deuri, vice-president of Deuri Sahitya Sabha.

However, the government maintains that by making Sanskrit compulsory in
schools, it is helping to revive a 'dying language' widely-used by scholars
during the ancient times in Assam

OneIndia News


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)
http://www.oneindia.com/india/sanskrit-assam-schools-bjp-faces-tribal-groups-ire-over-s-2366235.html


For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170306/2427b43a/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image.jpeg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2481 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170306/2427b43a/attachment.jpeg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image.jpeg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2579 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170306/2427b43a/attachment-0001.jpeg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image.jpeg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2441 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170306/2427b43a/attachment-0002.jpeg>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list